Resin composition containing fine silica particles therein

Abstract

A resin composition suitable for various optical uses, which comprises a base resin and 0.1 to 60% based on the weight of said resin composition, of fine silica or glass particles, said fine silica or glass particles having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 50 mu m and having their surface treated with at least one silane compound selected from those represented by the following general formulae (I) to (IV): RnSiCl(4-n)' (I) RnSi(OR1)(4-n)' (II) R3SiNHSiR3, and (III) <IMAGE> (IV) wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 3, R1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or a halogen-substituted, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherien the silane does not couple the particle and the resin.

I claim: 
     
       1. A resin composition comprising a base resin which is transparent in the visible ray region and 0.1 to 60%, based on the weight of said resin composition, of fine silica or glass particles dispersed in said resin, said fine silica or glass particles having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 50 μm, and further the surface of the particles being treated to render the surface hydrophobic with at least one silane compound selected from those represented by the following general formulae (I) to (IV): ##STR3## wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 3, R 1  is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or a halogen-substituted, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein the silane does not couple the particles and the resin. 
     
     
       2. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein said base resin is a member selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, AS resin, ABS resin, allyl resin, polyvinyl chloride, and polyester which are transparent in the visible ray region. 
     
     
       3. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein said fine silica or glass particles are at least one member selected from the group consisting of amorphous silica, crystalline silica, silicate glass, lead glass, barium glass, borosilicate glass, alkali glass, phosphate glass, ultraviolet ray transmitting colored glass, ultraviolet ray absorbing transparent glass, infrared ray transmitting colored glass, infrared ray absorbing transparent glass, rare-earth containing glass, photochromic glass, and photosensitive glass. 
     
     
       4. A resin composition according to claim 2, wherein said fine silica or glass particles are at least one member selected from the group consisting of amorphous silica, crystalline silica, silicate glass, lead glass, barium glass, borosilicate glass, alkali glass, phosphate glass, ultraviolet ray transmitting colored glass, ultraviolet ray absorbing transparent glass, infrared ray transmitting colored glass, infrared ray absorbing transparent glass, rare-earth containing glass, photochromic glass, and photosensitive glass. 
     
     
       5. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the refractive indices of the base resin and the fine silica or glass particles are equal or close to each other. 
     
     
       6. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein said glass contains 10% by weight or more of SiO 2  component. 
     
     
       7. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the silane compound is selected from the group consisting of trichloromethylsilane, dichlorodimethylsilane, chlorotrimethylsilane, trichloroethylsilane, dichlorodiethylsilane, chlorotriethylsilane, trichlorophenylsilane, trichlorooctylsilane, 3-chloropropyltrichlorosilane, trimethylmethoxysilane, trimethylethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, triethylmethoxysilane, triethylethoxysilane, n-octyltrimethoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, octadecyltrimethoxysilane, octadecyltriethoxysilane, chloroethyltriethoxysilane, chlorophenyltriethoxysilane, and (heptadecachloro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)-1-triethoxysilane. 
     
     
       8. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the silane compound is selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane and hexamethylcyclotrisilazane. 
     
     
       9. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein R is a saturated hydrocarbon or a halogen-substituted saturated hydrocarbon having 1 to 22 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       10. A resin composition comprising a base resin comprising a member selected from polymethylmethacrylate and polystyrene which is transparent in the visible ray region and 0.1 to 60%, based on the weight of said resin composition, of fine silica or glass particles dispersed in said resin, said fine silica or glass particles having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 50 μm, and further the surface of the particles being treated to render the surface hydrophobic with at least one silane compound selected from those represented by the following general formulae (I) to (IV): ##STR4## wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 3, R 1  is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or a halogen-substituted, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein the silane does not couple the particles and the resin. 
     
     
       11. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein said fine silica or glass particles are at least one member selected from the group consisting of amorphous silica, crystalline silica, silicate glass, lead glass, barium glass, borosilicate glass, alkali glass, phosphate glass, ultraviolet ray transmitting colored glass, ultraviolate ray absorbing transparent glass, infrared ray transmitting colored glass, infrared ray absorbing transparent glass, rare-earth containing glass, photochromic glass, and photosensitive glass. 
     
     
       12. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein the refractive indices of the base resin and the fine silica or glass particles are equal or close to each other. 
     
     
       13. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein said glass contains 10% by weight or more of SiO 2  component. 
     
     
       14. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein the silane compound is selected from the group consisting of trichloromethylsilane, dichlorodimethylsilane, chlorotrimethylsilane, trichloroethylsilane, dichlorodiethylsilane, chlorotriethylsilane, trichlorophenylsilane, trichlorooctylsilane, 3-chloropropyltrichlorosilane, trimethylmethoxysilane, trimethylethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, triethylmethoxysilane, triethylethoxysilane, n-octyltrimethoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, octadecyltrimethoxysilane, octadecyltriethoxysilane, chloroethyltriethoxysilane, chlorophenyltriethoxysilane, and (heptadecachloro-1,1,2,2-tetrhydrodecyl)-1-triethoxysilane. 
     
     
       15. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein the silane compound is selected from the group consisting of hexamethydisilazane and hexamethylcyclotrisilazane. 
     
     
       16. A resin composition according to claim 10, wherein R is a saturated hydrocarbon or a halogen-substituted saturated hydrocarbon having 1 to 22 carbon atoms.